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Coronary artery calcification (CAC) Scoring?
RalfLott
Posts: 5,036 Member
Anyone have interesting experiences with coronary calcium scans?
I'm wondering whether the info this test provides is worth the dose of radiation.
Thanks for any insights.
I'm wondering whether the info this test provides is worth the dose of radiation.
Thanks for any insights.
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Replies
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I don't really have anything insightful to add. Just that I generally distrust medicine. Don't ask, it would take me years, as I have a tendency to ramble and go of on different legs of a tale and end up confusing myself and everyone else to boot.
I just wanted you to know that we're here for you, buddy.
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Thx!
Yeah, it took me years to round up docs I think I can trust, and of course they do tend to move, retire, change practices, etc.
My latest strategy has been to find recommended docs under 40 employed at a large university hospital system, where there's a lot of research and clinical trials, and everything they do is documented and visible electronically to God and the world the nanosecond they write it..... Seems to work pretty well so far, and my insurance co hasn't balked yet.
One of 'em told me this here scan can provide info that's useful in deciding whether certain meds would be overkill if there's no sign of my arteries being gummed up with decades of yeast from beer and bread......2 -
Aaaahhhh, I understand more now. Sometimes I don't...get stuff. 2
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So I blew... er, wrong test.. fluoresced a low but > 0 coronary calcium score on the *kitten* test, meaning there's a small but detectable amount of plaque squatting in my *puppy* arteries.
I don't think I can get much more straight and narrow diet-wise, so it may be necessary to ramp up my keto-cocktail consumption to reduce my risk.
(And that had better be the advice......)2 -
I had mine done by Doctors order before finding out I was Type 2...and before LCHf came into my life....can't speak to the worthwhileness of the extra Rad....but I was pleased to see mine scored with only 4 places....Now 4 spots may be bad news for me...but being a recovering carboholic.....I expected it to be so gummed up they couldn't see through at all..
Kudo's on the >0 ...... : )1 -
Time2LoseWeightNOW wrote: »I had mine done by Doctors order before finding out I was Type 2...and before LCHf came into my life....can't speak to the worthwhileness of the extra Rad....but I was pleased to see mine scored with only 4 places....Now 4 spots may be bad news for me...but being a recovering carboholic.....I expected it to be so gummed up they couldn't see through at all..
Kudo's on the >0 ...... : )
I was hoping for = 0, but 31 ain't a death sentence!
Did you get any good advice?1 -
I have absolutely nothing to add about the test, but did you at the *puppy* or was it MFP? Perhaps after one *kitten* they though it appropriate to up it to a *puppy*? Just curious
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That was my *kitten* *puppy*.2
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The inflammation that take place inside a type 2s blood vessels is what I would describe as sand blasting type injury. The elevated blood sugar acts like sand in the vessels. When you add elevated blood pressure the damage goes up. This creates an inflamed area where red blood cells, cholesterol.....can stick, and create blockage that can need intervention (angioplasty, stents...) at some point. This woe helps decrease the blood sugar, thereby decreasing inflammation. Sometimes the damage has been too much to reverse, but shouldn't worsen. I've read this in a medical type text/article, but can't recall where to link it to!3
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Anyone have interesting experiences with coronary calcium scans?
I'm wondering whether the info this test provides is worth the dose of radiation.
Thanks for any insights.
I had the whole round of tests. The CAC with the four BP tests, EKG, MRI, and cholesterol screening. We felt like it was a good idea because several family members died very young from heart attack.
My numbers came back PERFECT. On a scale of 1-400 I got a ZERO.
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So I blew... er, wrong test.. fluoresced a low but > 0 coronary calcium score on the *kitten* test, meaning there's a small but detectable amount of plaque squatting in my *puppy* arteries.
I don't think I can get much more straight and narrow diet-wise, so it may be necessary to ramp up my keto-cocktail consumption to reduce my risk.
(And that had better be the advice......)
@RalfLott - Dr. Berg has the high D3/K2 taken with magnesium, offset by A, E, and more mag 12 hours later as an artery-scrubbing, blockage-removing formula - oh, and lots of omega 3's (not 6's, just 3's). But you have to do it carefully. He bans calcium supps - or puts them at night with no cofactors - and gives very specific advice. I've been doing that. I don't know specifically what my risk factors were before exactly, but I had them, because I was a carbivore, morbidly obese, and all that. I used to get chest twinges I thought were a muscle thing (usually on the right, not the left), but I've been told all the basic tests came back normal on the basic risk factors and "sounds" of my heart, etc. I've been wanting to d a heart scan but hadn't braved it yet... I can tell you that since I upped all of the above, I haven't had a single chest twinge at all - and I hadn't even realized it until just now. Could be the therapeutic levels of mag finally reached...or could be the rest or even both. Just dunno! But I feel ... well, for the first time in a long time.1 -
Time2LoseWeightNOW wrote: »I had mine done by Doctors order before finding out I was Type 2...and before LCHf came into my life....can't speak to the worthwhileness of the extra Rad....but I was pleased to see mine scored with only 4 places....Now 4 spots may be bad news for me...but being a recovering carboholic.....I expected it to be so gummed up they couldn't see through at all..
Kudo's on the >0 ...... : )
I was hoping for = 0, but 31 ain't a death sentence!
Did you get any good advice?
NO , nothing except a piece of paper from the test tech... Something about the South....not as up to date with info..as some of the doctors I read about everyone else..... I love living here ,though....just wish we had the advantage of informative doctors in small towns...1 -
Glad you posted this, during a routine colonoscopy the Dr found calcification in the organs that were near the area being tested for colonoscopy, what was said is that "if Calcification is in one area of the body,it's likely in other areas".
After having that checked, yes "do have calcification" but a certain amount is normal for ppl (age related), so nothing alarming.
At that time i wasn't taking the extra magnesium, nice to read that the Mag supplement may reduce amount of calcification in organs.
Thanks @RalfLott2 -
It looks like CAC is more precise measurement for all cause mortality than Risk Factor.
http://www.thefatemperor.com/blog/2016/8/10/repeat-after-me-calcification-score-blows-away-risk-factors-always
If you ever worried about cholesterol and heart disease, check out this lecture by Ivor Cummins: Cholesterol Conundrum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuj6nxCDBZ0
Cummins recently interviewed Dr. Michael Eades at the San Diego conference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZacuLvo8rRw
According to Eades misplaced calcium and possibly excess Omega 6 fatty acids are the culprits for calcification of arteries. Interestingly Eades mentions how the Masai people drinks a lot of milk and have high calcification...WITHOUT "heart disease".
Dr. Jason Fung also has some interesting thoughts on excess calcium and coronary heart disease: The Calcium Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMSi3qQBRY
AFAIK...it looks like when calcium is in excess or displaced, it could be the culprit for calcification of arteries. We need calcium in the BONES, but if vit D and other vital pathways are in malnutrition, the calcium "leaks" from the bones. Another good argument for strength training is that it helps prevent osteoporosis. Any weight bearing activity helps the bones! (even if it means carrying someone to bed )
The more I research about weight loss and health, I'm forced to understand that "health" is a complicated matter and is best solved trying multiple strategies: Diet, exercise and stress management. Overfocusing on only ONE aspect, for example diet, is shortchanging myself progress.
Btw, I never liked milk anyway 7 -
@Foamroller -Great info and insights - many thanks!3
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Here is a collection of expert videos on using the CAC test (from an Irish heart charity that Ivor Cummins often cites):
http://www.ihda.ie/mediagallery.html2 -
I have heart disease risk - my mother died of heart disease at 57. I take nattokinase (for the vitamin k and enzymes) and lots of garlic (look up black garlic - it is very potent).1
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Anyone have interesting experiences with coronary calcium scans?
I'm wondering whether the info this test provides is worth the dose of radiation.
Thanks for any insights.
DH had the scan done today. He has an old injury on his heart, from an accident when he was 21 so a long time ago. About 15 yrs ago he had one done as well. Today's shows the same high percentage (90) as the one from 15 yrs. ago, no increase and that is what you want, no increase, you will need a follow up in a year, if over 15% increase they get concerned and start prescribing meds. if not it is considered ok. His calcium build up is the only thing keeping his major aorta together, it was almost completely severed in the accident. Luckily it is not a thick layer, just a large area. He also had the blood flow test done 15 yrs. ago because of the high calcium %, and it was a good healthy flow rate.
Now if his pericardium would just stop getting inflamed....
Your results sound good at 31%, just remember to get it checked regularly in the future.2 -
Micheal Eades suggests looking at the volume:density ratio, an increase in volume over time being a bad omen.
Calcium Density of Coronary Artery Plaque and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Events
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24247483
https://youtu.be/itUoG2IfJp8
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Thanks this is news to me. Butter Bob is below.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=FaaFZfBrE5w
Short blip on how to remove calcium from arteries.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cHB7LId1YHM1 -
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